Badminton was first introduced as a demonstration sport at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich and later featured as an exhibition sport at the 1988 Summer Olympics.
In 1992, Badminton made its debut as a medal sport at the Summer Olympics with singles and doubles events for both men and women. The mixed doubles event was later added at the 1996 Summer Olympics.
Let's take a look at the badminton players who have medalled the most at the Summer Olympics.
(Note - Based on overall number of medals won across all badminton disciplines at the Summer Olympics).
Ling Gao - China - 2000, 2004, 2008
(Athlete - Country - Years of Olympic Participation)
Total - 4 (Gold - 2, Silver - 1, Bronze - 1)
Ling Gao is the most successful shuttler in Olympic history having won four medals, all of which have come in doubles.
Ling Gao won the mixed doubles title at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney and defended the title at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.
She also won bronze in 2000 and silver in 2004 in the women's doubles event.
Haifeng Fu - China - 2004, 2008, 2012
Total - 3 (Gold - 2, Silver - 1, Bronze - 0)
Haifeng Fu has won three Olympic medals - one at each of the three Summer Olympics he has taken part in.
Haifeng Fu and Cai Yun won the silver medal in men's doubles at Beijing in 2008 and won the gold medal in London four years later.
Haifeng Fu then partnered with Zhang Nan to win the men's doubles gold in Rio.
Nan Zhang - China - 2012, 2016
Total - 3 (Gold - 2, Silver - 0, Bronze - 1)
Nan Zhang won his first gold medal at the mixed doubles event in London 2012.
Zhang also picked up a gold medal in men's doubles with Fu Haifeng in Rio 2016 and also won a bronze in the mixed doubles at the Rio Games.
Yunlei Zhao - China - 2012, 2016
Total - 3 (Gold - 2, Silver - 0, Bronze - 1)
Yunlei Zhao is the only shuttler to have won two gold medals at the same edition. She won gold in the mixed doubles and women's doubles events at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. She also won a mixed doubles bronze at the 2016 Rio Games.
Dong-Moon Kim - Republic of Korea - 1996, 2000, 2004
Total - 3 (Gold - 2, Silver - 0, Bronze - 1)
Kim won the mixed doubles with Gil Young-Ah at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta and the men’s doubles with Ha Tae Kwon at the 2004 Games
He also won bronze in the men's doubles event at the 2000 Summer Olympics.
Young-Ah Gil - Republic of Korea - 1992, 1996
Total - 3 (Gold - 1, Silver - 1, Bronze - 1)
Gil won the women's doubles bronze in 1992 with Shim Eun Jung.
She also won gold in mixed doubles and silver in the women's doubles at the 1996 Atlanta Games.
Chong Wei Lee - Malaysia - 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016
Total - 3 (Gold - 0, Silver - 3, Bronze - 0)
Lee is the only shuttler in Olympic history with three back-to-back Olympic silver medals. Lee was beaten in the men's singles final at the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics.
*Inputs from the official Olympics website and the Badminton World Federation website